Senate Budget Reconciliation Proposal Includes Mandatory Federal Land Sales in Idaho

June 20, 2025

What’s at stake for hunters and anglers?

As an Idaho sportsman, I rely on the millions of acres of federal public lands in this state to hunt and fish. I hunt elk and mule deer in the Salmon-Challis National Forest and cast to rising trout in waters that flow through BLM land in the Upper Snake Field Office. That’s why it is devastating looking at the map of the potential public lands for sale in Idaho under the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s budget reconciliation proposal.

TRCP joins hunters, anglers, and conservationists in thanking Senators Risch and Crapo of Idaho for opposing public land sales in budget reconciliation legislation.

The proposal includes land disposal for both the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service across 11 western states, mandating that at least 2 million acres, and up to 3 million acres, be sold.

Not only are the numbers staggering in size, but the acreage represents the loss of invaluable habitat and hunter and angler access. These acres are loved by me and many others.

(On the maps below National Forest acres are shaded gray, and BLM acres are shaded orange.)

Yellowstone Cutthroat Streams and Big Game Winter Range in Eastern Idaho

These acres include the flanks of Bear Creek, a tributary of Palisades Reservoir in eastern Idaho. The mountains above the stream where I’ve caught dozens of Yellowstone cutthroat are summer range to elk, moose, and deer. More than one thousand people apply for the November deer hunt, seeking the mule deer buck of a lifetime in that fantastic area. This land would be available for sale and could be nominated by anyone who is interested in buying them.

And downstream on the South Fork of the Snake River, a world-famous fishery, there are multiple riverside Bureau of Land Management plots also slated for sale. I can close my eyes and see winter range turned to trophy houses.

Prime Mule Deer Habitat in Western Idaho

East of Boise, mule deer and elk winter range for the state’s largest mule deer herds are being considered for sale. Not only are the flanks of Lucky Peak Reservoir, prime mule deer and elk winter range, up for grabs, but also the summer range for those same herds around Sheep Mountain.

Westslope Cutthroat and Bull Trout Waters in Northern Idaho

In north Idaho, the loss of National Forest lands around the North Fork of the Clearwater River could impact river access on one of the best fisheries in the Lower 48 for Westslope cutthroat and bull trout. Hunters would also lose access to elk, deer, turkeys, and forest grouse hunting.

Sadly, I could go on.

It is time, today, to look at the maps that show the loss of public land in your area, your honey hole for deer, a creek for wild trout. It is up for grabs if this proposal passes Congress and is signed into law.

While we appreciate the desire to address federal land management challenges and respond to local community needs, any public land disposal must be considered within transparent, public channels and funding from sales should be reinvested back into habitat and access.

Hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and other outdoor recreation pursuits are deeply ingrained in Idaho’s cultural heritage and provide a significant driver for rural economies. Every year, the outdoor recreation industry generates $1.2 trillion in national economic output, including Idaho’s outdoor recreation economy which generates $7.8 billion in consumer spending and supports 78,000 jobs.

Loss of access to valuable public land would impact hunters, anglers, and other recreationists who rely on public lands for their traditions, and could adversely affect outdoor businesses, guides and outfitters, local retailers, lodging companies, and many others who rely on outdoor recreation for their livelihoods.

Spread the Word – We need to keep the pressure up. Contact Senators James Risch and Mike Crapo through our easy-to-use action alert. TRCP thanks Senators Risch and Crapo for opposing public land sales. Please ask your friends and family to take action and contact their elected officials. Public lands belong to all Americans so it’s important that we all take action regardless of which state we live in. Share this blog post and elevate the action alerts of organizations you support who are working on this issue!

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by: Chelsea Pardo

posted in: Hunting & Fishing Access

June 17, 2025

Spring Sooty Grouse and the Future of the Tongass

A spring hunt helps hunters slow down and think about the many opportunities the Tongass National Forest provides

April in Southeast Alaska is a season of tension and transition. Snow still clings to the high ridgelines above Juneau while skunk cabbage pushes through the soggy forest floor below. For hunters, it’s time to shake off winter and lace up the boots for one of Alaska’s most underrated spring pursuits: chasing the elusive Sooty grouse.

I was grateful for the generous opportunity to search for Sooty grouse with Mary Glaves, the Alaska Chapter Coordinator for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, based in Juneau. Her trustful canine companion, Riggs, a Catahoula Leopard breed, accompanied us for the day’s outing.

Hunting Sooty grouse isn’t about covering ground quickly—it’s about slowing down and tuning in to the rhythm of the forest. The hunter moves deliberately, scanning moss-covered branches and listening for the low, resonant hoots that betray the birds’ presence. These grouse favor the tops of old-growth spruce and hemlock, perched high in the canopy, nearly invisible, even when they’re calling.

The terrain is classic Southeast Alaska: steep, slick, and unforgiving. Every step is a calculated risk—wet roots, mossy boulders, and the occasional knee-deep patch of lingering snow. Trekking poles earn their keep here. But rugged landscapes make for beautiful country. One moment I’m huddled beneath a dripping evergreen canopy, and the next I’m out on an open ridge with sweeping views of the Inside Passage. It’s a stark contrast to the dry, crisp fall days I’ve spent chasing ptarmigan and ruffed grouse in my neck of the woods in Southcentral Alaska.

After a short, but steep hike, my hunting partner and I crested a ridge just as the wet snow started falling in earnest. We hunkered down with Riggs, hoping the squall would pass before deciding whether to push farther or turn back. I was grateful for the hooded puffy jacket stuffed in my pack—essential gear when you’re sitting still in cold, wet weather. We were soaked and chilled but still laughing at our luck with the forecast.

Eventually, I spotted a small grove of trees, and we ducked under, hoping a grouse might have done the same. Circling through the branches, we finally saw a bird. A closer look confirmed it was a hen. We watched her quietly, hoping a hooting male might be nearby.

Perfectly camouflaged for the canopy, it takes patience to see a grouse in a tree.

Sooty grouse populations are generally healthy across Southeast, but spring is a sensitive time. Males—or “hooters”—advertise their presence with rhythmic, echoing calls from the treetops. Hens, meanwhile, stay silent and camouflaged as they prepare to nest. That’s why it’s critical for hunters to identify their target before pulling the trigger. Shooting a hen in spring isn’t just a mistake—it can mean the loss of an entire clutch of future birds. Responsible hunters listen carefully, move slowly, and only take birds they’ve positively identified.

Spring Sooty grouse hunting isn’t about limits or trophies—it’s about presence. It’s about listening to the forest, honoring the bird, and letting the woods welcome you back after a long winter.

These quiet moments in the misty hills above Juneau help me remember what is at stake. The Tongass National Forest isn’t just a scenic backdrop; it’s wild, intact country that’s also a working landscape for hunters, anglers, and the many rural communities that rely on tourism and the sustainable management of this forest for their economy. From the ridgelines where Sooty grouse hoot in spring to the alpine bowls where Sitka black-tailed deer rut in the fall to the rivers where five species of Pacific salmon spawn, the Tongass supports a wild and deeply rewarding kind of hunting and fishing.

That’s why the Tongass Forest Plan revision matters to those of us who hunt and fish. This once-in-a-generation process will shape how the forest is managed for decades—whether crucial habitat remains intact, whether roadless areas remain wild, and whether future generations will have the same opportunities to experience this place as we do today.

A good dog like Riggs is a great companion in the Tongass.

As hunters and anglers, we understand that good habitat is the foundation of everything we care about. The old-growth forests of the Tongass provide more than beauty—they shelter deer in harsh winters, support nesting habitat for grouse, and feed the salmon runs that sustain other wildlife and fill our freezers.

In January 2025, the U.S. Forest Service released its Tongass National Forest Draft Assessment Report, covering 21 key topic areas—from timber and subsistence to recreation, climate change, and carbon storage. A 45-day public comment period followed, ending on February 24. The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership actively encouraged hunters and anglers to weigh in. TRCP’s comments urged the Forest Service to align forest management with community values, conserve key fish and wildlife habitat, prioritize restoration, support recreation-based economies, and complete a transition to young-growth forest management.

The next step in the process is for the agency to update and finalize each of the 21 assessment chapters before consolidating them into a Final Assessment Report, which will integrate findings across all resource areas.

As the Forest Service moves into the next phase of the plan revision, hunters and anglers will have a critical role to play. Public involvement will continue through formal comment periods on draft management alternatives and the Environmental Impact Statement. Multiple engagement opportunities lie ahead to ensure the final forest plan reflects the values of hunters and anglers. So, stay tuned, stay involved, and let your voice be heard. The Tongass has given so much to generations of Alaskans—now is the time to stand up for its future.

Learn more about TRCP’s work in Alaska HERE.

by: Joel Webster

posted in: Hunting & Fishing Access

June 11, 2025

TRCP Opposes Mandatory Sale of Public Lands in Senate Budget Reconciliation Proposal

Senate draft would fast-track disposal of up to 3 million acres across the West

Today, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership expresses serious concern with a provision in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s reconciliation proposal that would mandate the sale of public land in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming under the pretense of affordable housing.

“Hunters and anglers have made it clear that reconciliation is not the appropriate vehicle for public land sales,” said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “The Senate proposal sets an arbitrary acreage target and calls for the disposal of up to six times more land than was proposed in early versions of the House budget reconciliation bill. If passed, sportsmen and women would lose access to large tracts of public land.”

While the House version put forward land sales to approximately 500,000 acres in Utah and Nevada, the Senate proposal would accelerate land disposals across 11 western states, mandating that not less than 2 million acres and not more than 3 million acres be sold. There have been no public processes that led to the conclusion that this acreage of land sales is needed to support affordable housing. Late last week, 44 hunting, fishing, and conservation organizations sent a letter to Senate leadership urging them to keep public lands sales out of the reconciliation bill.

“TRCP stands ready to work with lawmakers to address the needs of local communities to create affordable housing, but reconciliation is not the process for that kind of deliberative, transparent decision-making,” said Pedersen. “Once public lands are sold, they are gone for good. We urge the Senate to remove this provision from the bill.”

by: Dan Morgan

posted in: Hunting & Fishing Access

June 9, 2025

Opening a Gate: How VPA-HIP Boosts Habitat

One of the core functions of VPA-HIP is its ability to support private landowners in implementing habitat restoration projects

The thrill of a crisp morning hunt or casting a line in a quiet stream often depends on something many don’t think about: access. For hunters and anglers across the country, that access increasingly comes from private lands— 70 percent of this nation’s lands, exclusive of Alaska, are in private ownership. As a result, a majority of this country’s hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation opportunities are on private land. It also means that a majority of this nation’s wildlife habitat improvement and enhancement projects sit in the hands of farmers, ranchers, and other private landowners. That’s where the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) comes in.

What Is VPA-HIP?

The Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program, once commonly known as “open fields,” is the only federal program dedicated to creating public access on private lands. 

Championed by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership’s founder, Jim Range, VPA-HIP helps states and Tribes create innovative ways of incentivizing private landowners to open their lands to the public for wildlife-dependent recreation. It is the only federal tool aimed at increasing recreational access on private lands, yet it is not nearly the most well-known of Farm Bill conservation programs. 

But it doesn’t stop at access, VPA-HIP also incentivizes landowners to restore and enhance habitat, making it a win-win for wildlife and the people who enjoy it.

With proposed funding increases to $150 million under the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2025, this program stands to do even more for conservation and recreation alike.

Why It Matters for Habitat

While access is the headline, one of the core functions of VPA-HIP is its ability to support private landowners in implementing habitat restoration projects.

VPA-HIP encourages habitat restoration and stewardship on enrolled lands, helping private landowners improve conditions for wildlife while offering recreational opportunities to the public.

Let’s look at some examples of how VPA-HIP creates or enhances wildlife habitat:

Landowners enrolled in the Illinois Recreational Access Program (IRAP) report that assistance with habitat improvement is their number one reason for signing up. IRAP creates hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, upland bird, and waterfowl hunters on private lands in Illinois. In exchange, enrolled landowners receive a free habitat management plan, custom built for their property by Illinois Department of Natural Resources biologists. Landowners who implement these plans receive bonus payments for habitat improvements, incentivizing better habitat for both game and non-game species.

After flood damage along the Rio Grande River, the Santa Clara Pueblo used VPA-HIP funding to construct off channel ponds and make habitat improvements for fishing opportunities, restoring and improving public fishing access in Santa Clara Canyon.

On top of incentivizing access, the Wisconsin VPA-HIP provides financial assistance to landowners who create or enhance habitat through practices like prescribed burning, planting native grasses and forbs, or removing invasive species like honeysuckle, buckthorn, and multiflora rose.

Arkansas is a top destination for waterfowl hunters, and rice fields are a crucial food source for wintering waterfowl. Through the Arkansas Waterfowl Rice Incentive Conservation Enhancement (WRICE), farmers receive payments to leave rice stubble intact, rather than tilling fields in the fall, and flood these same fields during the migration. This creates incredible waterfowl habitat and hunting opportunities.

Through the Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP), Iowa DNR biologists work with landowners to create a habitat management plan for their property and provide incentive payments when those habitat improvements are completed. In exchange, landowners allow public hunting access.

Hunters and Anglers Reap the Rewards

Whether you’re glassing for elk or calling in spring gobblers, healthy habitat is essential. Through VPA-HIP:

More land becomes accessible for hunting and fishing.

Game populations improve as habitat quality increases.

Outdoor traditions are preserved for future generations.

The Bottom Line

The Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program is more than an access program—it’s a key piece of modern conservation. By bringing together landowners, hunters, anglers, and conservationists, VPA-HIP helps restore critical habitats and expand outdoor opportunities across the country.

With renewed investment and continued bipartisan support, this program is poised to make an even bigger impact on the landscapes, wildlife, and sporting traditions we all care about.

Want to support programs like VPA-HIP? Urge your lawmakers to support this critical program in the next Farm Bill so that more landowners can create access, open landlocked public lands, and enhance wildlife habitat.  Click HERE to take action today.

by: Dan Morgan

posted in: Hunting & Fishing Access

May 30, 2025

Hispanic Leaders Bring the Southwest to Washington, D.C.

The TRCP organized a spring advocacy trip to demonstrate the power of unity, outdoor traditions, and a bipartisan approach to conservation.

This spring, the heart of the Southwest made its way to the halls of power in Washington, D.C., as Hispanic leaders united to speak up for the lands and waters that shape their culture, outdoor traditions, and futures. As part of HECHO’s (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors) 2025 spring advocacy trip, members of the Hispanic Conservation Leadership Council (HCLC) brought their voices and stories directly to lawmakers, urging protection and conservation of public lands.

From the vibrant canyons of Arizona to the sacred rivers of New Mexico, the Southwest is home to some of the nation’s most treasured public lands. For the Hispanic leaders who made the journey to D.C., these lands are more than scenic beauty—they’re economic drivers and places of personal and communal connection. Hunting and fishing on these lands not only sustains time-honored traditions but also supports local economies and fosters the next generation of conservation and stewardship.

The advocacy trip amplified these outdoor traditions, with participants ranging from business owners and elected officials to conservationists and community advocates. Their unified message? Public lands must remain public, accessible, and protected.

In conversations with members of Congress and key decision-makers, the HCLC emphasized the importance of protecting areas like the Grand Canyon watershed, addressing forest health and catastrophic wildfire, funding for proactive management of federal lands, and protecting critical water resources in the region. In addition, both TRCP and HCLC members also touched on the importance of maintaining robust federal funding to address ongoing drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin, including investments in fish and wildlife habitat restoration efforts that build resilience to shrinking water supplies.

The TRCP and HCLC highlighted support for the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act and the need to increase the pace and scale of active forest management approaches that also benefit fish and wildlife valued by hunters and anglers. These issues are not partisan—they are universal, touching on clean water, natural disaster mitigation, recreation, cultural preservation, and economic sustainability.

One recurring theme throughout the trip was the need for balance—between use and conservation, between progress and preservation. As one participant shared, “I’m not against using our public lands… but we have to monitor that to where we don’t deplete our resources.” The goal isn’t to halt development, but to ensure it doesn’t come at the cost of future generations.

From forest management and fire prevention to watershed protection and outdoor recreation, the issues discussed were grounded in the everyday realities of communities that rely on these lands.

Perhaps the most powerful element of the trip was the unity among the participants. Despite different roles, regions, and backgrounds, the group stood together with a shared sense of purpose and pride. As one leader expressed, “We need to stand up proud as Hispanos… This is part of us. It’s querencia, a deep love and connection to the land.”

The HECHO 2025 spring advocacy trip was a testament to the power of representation and grass tops leadership. These leaders shared their personal stories, cultural ties, and community priorities directly with policymakers—demonstrating the power of unity, outdoor traditions, and bipartisan approach to conservation. 

Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to habitat and clean water here

The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.